Durham City Council discussed a proposed moratorium on data center development, reviewed GoDurham transit performance gaps, and advanced several spending items.
Council Member Baker framed the proposal as a proactive, conservative response to documented harms from hyperscale data centers, noting Durham would be the first major North Carolina city to pursue such a measure.
The FY25 GoDurham annual report revealed preventive maintenance completion dropped from 100% in prior years to 73% in 2025, causing service disruptions; staff cited contractor management failures and an aging fleet as primary causes.
Staff presented a contract for accessible pedestrian signals at 13 intersections, including a site near a prior cyclist fatality; upgrades would include audible cues and leading pedestrian intervals to improve safety for all abilities.
Council members raised questions about where baby bond funds would be held and debated removing a clause on peer-reviewed efficacy, agreeing to move the resolution to the Governing Board Agenda for further discussion.
Staff sought a fund-balance transfer to cover a year-end operating shortfall in the Water and Sewer Fund, explaining that filling previously vacant positions eliminated the lapsed-salary savings that had been built into the budget.